Voltage Multiplier Circuit Research Articles

Construction of small size and high output triboelectric nanogenerator by multi-layer-stacking and charge excitation

Abstract The triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) has been considered a low-frequency mechanical energy collection and conversion device in the modern era. The reasonable stack structure of TENG is an effective method to boost its electric output performance within a limited space. Nevertheless, relying solely on the stacking structure, the TENG is unable to produce excessive output due to the low contact electrification capability of its materials. Hence, there are still significant challenges in enhancing the output performance of stacked TENGs. We propose a multi-layer-stack TENG (M-TENG) with two zigzag-shaped (Z-shaped) multilayer units interleaving and stacking with each other, which enormously enlarges the effective utilization area. Furthermore, a voltage multiplier circuit (VMC) incorporating a Zener diode allows the transfer charge to approach the critical threshold and maintain a stable output. The transfer charge and current of M-TENG integrated with a VMC can reach 1.52 μC and 86 μA, respectively, with the maximum output of the TENG being 8.65 mW (5 MΩ). To prove it as a self-power device, M-TENG excited by a VMC is employed to power 912 light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and three temperature and humidity sensors with a power management circuit (PMC), respectively. This work offers a new method for optimizing stacking-layer TENG electric output performance in a narrow space.

RF-DC conversion for RF energy harvesting from digital TV signals using voltage multiplier circuits

RF-DC conversion for RF energy harvesting from digital TV signals using voltage multiplier circuits

Review of Cockcroft-Walton High Voltage Low Current DC Power Supplies

High-voltage power supplies are key for developing particle accelerators, neutron generators, x-ray systems, ion implantation, etc. This paper reviews various developed voltage low current power supplies based on Cockcroft-Walton voltage multiplier circuits for accelerator-based neutron sources and other industrial and medical applications. The paper presents a detailed review of the topology of the power supply used for the high voltage generation, the key design parameters, key active and passive components used in the High Voltage (HV) system, key experimental results, protection and measurement circuit used in the power supply and about the system performance. The improvement that occurred in the size and performance of the power supplies due to the development in the technology of the magnetic components, semiconductors and energy storage devices in successive years is apparent in the discussion. Finally challenges and possible solutions for the compact design and system performance are concluded for the development of high voltage low current power supplies.

Implementation of Non-Isolated High Gain Interleaved DC-DC Converter for Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Using ANN-Based MPPT Controller

A high conversion ratio DC-DC converter is crucial for fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV). A fuel cell-based non-isolated high gain integrated DC-DC converter for electric vehicles is proposed in this paper. The system comprises an interleaved boost converter (IBC) at the source end, a switched capacitor cell, coupled inductors, a passive clamp circuit, and a voltage multiplier circuit (VMC). Its significance is to achieve the voltage conversion gain of 12.33 at a conversion ratio of 0.45. The idea is to use a proton exchange membrane fuel cell to power electric vehicles through a high-gain DC-DC converter. The use of an ineffective MPPT can result in lower energy conversion efficiency. Thus, this system incorporates a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) controller based on a neural network, which relies on the radial basis function network (RBFN) algorithm to track the maximum power point of the PEMFC accurately. The comparative study of the fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) structure with the RBFN-based MPPT technique was evaluated with that of the fuzzy logic technique using the MATLAB/Simulink platform (R2021b (MATLAB 9.11)). A 1.5 kW experimental prototype is designed with a switching frequency of 10 kHz to validate the design analysis, and its pursuance is compared between RBFN and FLC-based controllers. This manuscript will be a significant contribution towards evidencing a sustainable environment.

High power voltage multiplier (VM) PFC Converter with inherent ZCS Characteristics and high step-ip gain for enhanced low-line efficiency

In this paper, a Voltage Multiplier (VM) converter configuration has been designed for high Power PFC application, ensuring reduced losses and high system efficiency.The conventional PFC system is improved with adding VM circuit configuration that enhances the static gain features with moderate duty ratio (D), and hence, the reverse recovery (RR) issue is resolved. The VM section inherently adds two main specific features of clamping behavior and ZCS phenomenon to the PFC system. An experimental prototype of 2 kW, 600 V VM PFC converter configuration is designed and its effectiveness is validated under low line input of 100 V , operating at a high duty ratio, D = 0:67. The Real-Time Interface (RTI) feature of dSPACE1104 and MATLAB/Simulink are used to give the control signal for the verification of the system. Always, less than half of the output voltage (300 V ) appears across the switches of the converter, hence, voltage stress of the switch is minimized. Also, ZCS phenomenon is evident during switching commutations due to the snubber circuit behavior of the resonant tank, included in the proposed PFC converter. Hence, the overall system efficiency is improved. Furthermore, higher system efficiency is maintained for different rating which has been tested in this research work.

Single inductor multi-PZTs SECE and electromagnetic voltage multiplier rectifier hybrid interface circuit

This paper proposes a single inductor multi-piezoelectric transducers (PZTs) SECE and electromagnetic voltage multiplier rectifier hybrid interface circuit (MP-SECE-VMR), which harvest energy from multi-input PZTs and electromagnetic generator (EMG). The MP-SECE-VMR adopts a voltage multiplier rectifier circuit, utilizing the diode-connected MOSFET configuration which used as diodes to effectively reduce voltage losses during rectification. Experimental tests confirm that this circuit efficiently extracts energy from PZTs despite differences in their phase relationships. The low input voltage from the EMG is effectively elevated through the voltage multiplier rectifier, enabling simultaneous extraction with the PZTs. The proposed MP-SECE-VMR circuit extracts 1.2 mW of power from two PZTs with open-circuit amplitudes of 9 V and 11 V respectively, as well as from an EMG input with an open-circuit amplitude of 3 V and a frequency of 5 Hz. Furthermore, the proposed circuit effectively enhances output power while expanding the working load range compared to single-source energy extraction.

An efficient high-gain bidirectional interleaved boost converter for PV integration to DC microgrid.

The design of a power electronic interface for high voltage difference DC buses is a key aspect in DC microgrid applications. A multi-port non isolated interleaved high-voltage gain bidirectional converter, which facilitates bidirectional power transfer and islanded operation in a DC microgrid, is presented in this paper. The forward high-voltage transfer ratio is achieved using a voltage multiplier circuit, and the high-gain step-down power conversion is performed using a resonant power module. A novel power transfer selection algorithm is proposed to control power flow among the interfaces of the RES, ESS, and DC grid converters, which utilizes the net power difference as the basis for switching the converter. The proposed converter is simulated for a 24 V PV source, 12 V battery, and 400 V DC grid interface using MATLAB/SIMULINK. A 200 W hardware prototype is implemented. The simulation results for voltages, currents, and power flow among RES, ESS, and microgrid DC bus proved an excellent voltage regulation, efficient power conversion, and a feasible duty cycle range with high voltage gain. These observations are validated through equivalent experimental results. A comparison is made regarding achieved gain, component sizing, achievable power transfer modes, efficiency, and control complexity with existing converters for DC microgrid applications. The presented topology proved to be a better interface with multiple-mode support with high efficiency.

Enhanced Performance of Cuk and Boost–Based High‐Gain Step‐Up DC/DC Converter

This article presents a high‐gain step‐up DC/DC converter based on the Cuk topology for renewable energy applications. The converter employs an auxiliary circuit to achieve less input current ripple, significantly reducing the input inductor size compared to conventional converters. Therefore, the inductor’s equivalent series resistance (ESR) will be substantially lowered to improve power efficiency. Introducing passive clamp capacitors further enhances efficiency by alleviating voltage stress on the main power switch. Comparative studies with other similar converters highlight the unique benefits of converter design. This converter uses a coupled inductor (CI) and a voltage multiplier circuit to achieve high voltage gains. The following article introduces the principle of operation for a proposed topology and analyzes voltage gain, voltage stress, and efficiency. A comprehensive comparison with the most recent counterparts is also included. Finally, a theoretical analysis is verified using a 200‐W (30 V/310 V) sample prototype.

A new soft‐switching high gain DC/DC converter with bipolar outputs

AbstractThis paper introduces a new single‐input multi‐output step‐up DC/DC converter with soft‐switching performance and low input current for renewable energy applications. The proposed topology uses a three‐winding coupled‐inductor (TWCI) and voltage multiplier circuits to achieve high voltage gains. The bipolar output voltages of the proposed converter can be varied independently by tuning the turns ratios of the TWCI. Due to the semi‐trans‐inverse specification of the suggested topology, high voltage gains can be obtained under a lower number of turns ratio in the magnetic device. Furthermore, a regenerative passive clamp technique mitigates the voltage stress on the single power switch. Additionally, the power dissipations are further reduced by considering a resonant tank in the circuit. In the converter, the parasitic leakage inductances of the TWCI windings help to provide the soft‐switching conditions for the switch and also to eliminate the reverse‐recovery loss for all converter diodes. The operating mode of the presented converter has been introduced and the steady state, along with the main operating equations have also been derived. Finally, the theoretical analysis is verified by a sample prototype 235 W at the input voltage 25 V and outputs of 200 V and −200 V.

Enhancing the Performance of Human Motion Energy Harvesting through Optimal Smoothing Capacity in the Rectifier

Energy harvesting offers a promising solution for powering a growing variety of low-power electronics; however, harnessing energy from human motion, with its irregular and low-frequency bursts of power, presents conversion challenges. As rectification is a common part of it, this study investigates the influence of smoothing capacitor values on rectifier output for short, intermittent signals. We propose an analytical model that identifies an optimal smoothing capacity for the full-bridge rectifier, considering harvester internal resistance, frequency, and load resistance and leading to the highest average output voltage after rectification. The model was validated with detailed computer simulations; furthermore, a similar effect was revealed on a voltage multiplier circuit as well. Experimental measurements demonstrate that deviating from the optimal smoothing capacity results in up to 10% decrease in rectified RMS voltage, leading to significant drops in output power in specific energy harvesting systems. A real-world experiment with a human motion energy harvester further confirmed the findings in a naturally varying generation environment.

A non‐isolated DC‐DC topology with high voltage rate based on magnetic coupling and voltage multiplier method

SummaryIn this study, a novel non‐isolated DC‐DC converter based on magnetic coupling and voltage multiplier technique has been proposed. The output voltage of the suggested converter can be enhanced by selecting the appropriate turn ratio of the coupled inductor. To further improve the voltage gain, a voltage multiplier circuit including the capacitors and diodes has been utilized in this converter. The main features of the proposed converter are a high voltage conversion ratio, high efficiency, and lower peak voltage throughout the semiconductor devices. Besides, there are soft switching conditions throughout the diodes of the presented topology, which leads to reducing the reverse recovery losses of the diodes and subsequently improving the overall efficiency of the system. Also, only one insulated‐gate field‐effect transistor (MOSFET) has been used in the structure of the converter. Thus, the switch with lower on‐state resistance can be selected for the suggested converter that decreases the conduction losses. To prove the performance of the suggested structure, the operational analysis, mathematical descriptions, efficiency analysis, and comparison survey with similar structures in the literature have been described. Finally, a laboratory prototype with 200 W output power with 95.14% load efficiency, 20 V input voltage, and 260 V output voltage at 50 kHz switching frequency has been provided.

A Soft Switched High Gain Boost Converter With Coupled Inductor for Photovoltaic Applications

This paper presents a high-gain boost converter (HGBC) with an auxiliary circuit based on a three-state switching cell (TSSC). The auxiliary circuit enables the switches to operate in zero voltage switching (ZVS) and zero current switching (ZCS) conditions. The proposed converter provides a high voltage gain with reduced voltage stress across the switches. Here the converter is integrated with a voltage multiplier circuit (VMC) and coupled inductor (CI), which boosts the converter's voltage, and the output of this converter can be easily connected to a grid-tied inverter for renewable energy applications. The superior performance of the proposed converter with the auxiliary circuit is analyzed and compared with TSSC based HGBC operated at a 100 kHz frequency, and the results obtained are verified with the hardware implementation of a 950 W prototype with 96.5% efficiency.

A modified configuration of high step‐up non‐isolated DC‐DC converter with low voltage stress: Analysis, design, and implementation

SummaryThis study develops a novel DC‐DC converter with an extremely high voltage conversion ratio that utilizes just one switch, a voltage multiplier circuit (VMC), and a coupled‐inductor. Two diodes and two capacitors comprise the VMC, employed to reach high voltage gain. Consequently, the conduction loss is minimized by using a low voltage rated switch with lower RDS(on). Due to the coupled inductor's leakage inductance, the output diodes' reverse recovery trouble is solved. Moreover, the passive clamp technique stores and recycles leakage energy at the output. The proposed DC‐DC converter features are high conversion ratio, low maximum voltage on semiconductors, remarkable efficiency, the existence of only one active low voltage switch, and simple circuit topology with common ground between the input and the output. This paper outlines CCM, BCM, and DCM's operating concept and steady‐state analysis in great detail. Furthermore, the suggested structure's capability is indicated by mathematical analysis and comparative findings with other earlier structures. Eventually, experimental findings with 210 W output power and 25 kHz switching frequency demonstrates that the proposed converter can be used successfully.

A Novel Variable On-Time Control Scheme for Boundary Conduction Mode SEPIC PFC Converter

Power factor correction (PFC) can be achieved by a single-ended primary inductor converter (SEPIC) operating in boundary conduction mode (BCM) with conventional constant on-time (COT) control, but it is challenging to achieve low total harmonic distortion (THD) and high-power factor (PF), particularly at high input voltage. A variable on-time (VOT) control strategy for BCM SEPIC PFC converter without input voltage feedforward and multiplier circuits is proposed to realize unity PF in this paper. By using a variable slope sawtooth generator whose slope is controlled by the duty cycle of the main switch to adjust the conduction time of the main power switch of the converter, the proposed VOT control scheme can use a simple and easy-to-implement circuit to enhance the PF and decrease the THD significantly, especially at high input voltage. The simulation model and 100W experimental prototype are built to verify the feasibility of the suggested control method. Simulation and experiment results demonstrated that the novel VOT control scheme remarkably enhances PF and decreases THD without affecting the efficiency by contrast with the conventional COT control.

Design, analysis, fabrication and testing of 100 kV, 100 mA DC full-wave voltage multiplier (FWVM) modular unit for accelerator power supply

The 100 kV, 100 mA DC full-wave voltage multiplier (FWVM) modular unit is being developed for accelerator power supply and other plasma applications at Institute for Plasma Research (IPR). The high voltage engineering design involved in fabrication architecture and assembly of 100 kV, 100 mA DC FWVM module is the main focus of this paper. This FWVM module has 2 stages of Cock-Croft Walton voltage multiplier circuit considering the required optimum number of stages for final 500 kV voltage output. The FWVM unit is fed by a center tapped High Voltage High Frequency (HVHF) transformer. Electrical circuit simulations have been carried out to ensure the electrical performance parameters. The maximum value of the fault current during ground fault is 50 A as per simulation results. The 100 kV, 100 mA FWVM module is designed, fabricated and tested at 100 kV. Simulation Results, fabrication details, engineering design details and test results have been presented in this paper.

A New High Efficiency High Step-Up DC/DC Converter for Renewable Energy Applications

This article introduces a new nonisolated soft-switching coupled-inductor (CI) step-up dc/dc converter. The presented topology utilizes a three-winding CI (TWCI) along with a voltage multiplier circuit to increase the voltage conversion ratio without needing a high duty cycle. Using this circuit, a high voltage gain can be achieved without requiring a large number of turns ratio in the CI. The input current ripple of the introduced converter is very low, which is very desirable for renewable energy sources applications. The TWCI also creates an additional design freedom to increase the voltage gain, which indicates more circuit flexibility. Additionally, the voltage stress across the single power switch is limited with the help of a regenerative clamp capacitor. The leakage inductor of the CI is used to create a resonant tank to reduce power losses further. The leakage inductances help provide the zero-current switching conditions for the single power switch and decrease the reverse-recovery issues for all diodes, leading to an efficiency improvement. The operation principle, steady-state analysis, and design considerations are discussed thoroughly. Finally, the theoretical analysis is validated through experimental results obtained from a 200 W prototype with 250 V output voltage.

A Nanogenerator Enabled by a Perfect Combination and Synergetic Utilization of Triboelectrification, Charge Excitation and Electromagnetic Induction to Reach Efficient Energy Conversion

AbstractTriboelectric–electromagnetic hybridized nanogenerator (TEHG) is confirmed as an effective energy harvesting for Internet of Things. However, it is still a great challenge to gain a high‐output triboelectric‐nanogenerator (TENG) and to perfectly combine TENG with electromagnetic generator (EMG). Herein, a TEHG composed of space confined multi‐layer‐stack TENG (SM‐TENG) and stack compression promoted flux change EMG is proposed. The interaction of magnets on the rotor with the magnets on the stator makes contact–separation of the SM‐TENG and changes the magnetic flux of EMG in rotation process, reducing wear and deformation of TENG. A voltage multiplier circuit (VMC) with a Zener diode is employed to enhance SM‐TENG performance and maintain stable output. The output charge and current of four SM‐TENG units reach 3.2 µC and 385 µA at rotatory speed 60 rpm, and the voltage of four EMG reaches 8.09 V. The perfect combination and synergetic utilization of triboelectrification, charge excitation, and electromagnetic induction in a single device are realized. The integrated TEHG can power 12 bulbs (2 W) and 16 thermo‐hygrometers, and a Bluetooth thermo‐hygrometer to transmit wireless signals to a mobile phone. This work provides a new strategy for high efficient integration and utilization various mechanisms in one energy‐harvesting device.

Ultra‐Robust and High‐Performance Rotational Triboelectric Nanogenerator by Bearing Charge Pumping

As an emerging technology to convert environmental high‐entropy energy into electrical energy, triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) has great demands for further enhancing the service lifetime and output performance in practical applications. Here, an ultra‐robust and high‐performance rotational triboelectric nanogenerator (R‐TENG) by bearing charge pumping is proposed. The R‐TENG composes of a pumping TENG (P‐TENG), an output TENG (O‐TENG), a voltage‐multiplying circuit (VMC), and a buffer capacitor. The P‐TENG is designed with freestanding mode based on a rolling ball bearing, which can also act as the rotating mechanical energy harvester. The output low charge from the P‐TENG is accumulated and pumped to the non‐contact O‐TENG, which can simultaneously realize ultralow mechanical wear and high output performance. The matched instantaneous power of R‐TENG is increased by 32 times under 300 r/min. Furthermore, the transferring charge of R‐TENG can remain 95% during 15 days (6.4 × 106 cycles) continuous operation. This work presents a realizable method to further enhance the durability of TENG, which would facilitate the practical applications of high‐performance TENG in harvesting distributed ambient micro mechanical energy.

Statistical analysis of radiofrequency energy harvester with bandpass filter for ultra‐low power applications

AbstractNowadays, radiofrequency (RF) is a vital component of harvesting RF energy from the ambient environment to power ultra‐low‐power applications in wireless communication. This article presents an RF energy harvesting system for a frequency range of (0.58–3 GHz) to harvest RF energy from the ambient source. The system's design consists of four major modules: a coplanar waveguide antenna (CPW), a bandpass filter (BF), an L‐type impedance matching network, and a four‐stage Villard voltage multiplier (VM) circuit. First, A CPW antenna is designed suitably to harvest RF energy from GSM 900/1800, 3G, and Wi‐Fi frequency bands. Next, a BF is designed and simulated in Agilent advanced design system software for the same frequency range to attenuate the RF signals that are not in this specific frequency range. Then, an RF power conditioning circuit prototype comprising an L‐type impedance matching network and a four‐stage Villard VM circuit was integrated and fabricated on an FR4 substrate. The four‐stage rectifier circuit is designed to convert the RF signal into DC output voltage and maximize the output voltage. The performance of the RF energy harvesting system is validated through simulation and measured results. All the RF energy harvesting system elements have been connected, and the prototype is tested at various indoor and outdoor locations of Sri Sivasubramaniya College of Engineering, Chennai, India. It is observed that the prototype system can harvest energy from input power levels as low as −30 dBm. The simulated results of the RF energy harvesting system achieve an output voltage of 2.5 V with a maximum efficiency of 62.5%. The harvested output voltage at a distance of 100 m from the RF cell tower at the indoor location is 59.5 mV and at the outdoor location 271.6 mV. The harvested output voltage is used to energies the ultra‐low‐power applications. Finally, the performance of the RF energy harvesting system is analyzed by statistical techniques. The two types of analysis are Taguchi's method and analysis of variance. The RF energy harvester impact factors are VM and BF. A statistical test (P) is used to determine the significant factors on the RF output voltage.

An Ultra High Step-Up Dual-Input Single-Output DC–DC Converter Based on Coupled Inductor

This article introduces a new coupled inductor based dual-input ultra-high step-up dc–dc converter with a high voltage conversion ratio, low voltage stress across semiconductor components, and high efficiency features. The coupled inductor and voltage multiplier circuit (VMC) techniques have been utilized to enhance the voltage gain. The blocking voltages of power switches are clamped by VMC at low values and can be controlled via the turn ratio of the coupled inductors that decreases the voltage rate of power switches and converter's cost. The presented dual-input structure can transfer power to the load from two independent voltage sources. Besides, the inputs and output ports are common ground, which can reduce the electromagnetic interference influences. Operation modes delineation, steady-state analysis, and comparison section are provided for describing the proposed structure performance. Finally, to confirm the effectiveness of the presented topology, experimental waveforms with a 200 W output power at 50 kHz switching frequency are presented.